Armenian Half Breed

[pink5]

Hi. My mother is full Armenian and my father is Ukranian and God only knows what. I do more fully relate to my mother's side.

Lately I have been getting involved in the ANC and am eager to do as much as I can.

I live in Northern California, have a 17 year old son and am attempting for some unknown reason to apply for college (I mean me! He has a year to go).

I have wrestled with the stereotypes, anger and violent feelings towards Turkish people for many years.

I would like to study history in college and delve more deeply into the issue of genocide and get a more unbiased understanding of the events that happened.

I also do not like harboring feelings of hatred and I want to understand the Turkish people better and then hate them (just kidding).

I have a friend who is half Armenian and half Turkish and this forces me to understand there is no black and white to life.

Thanks for having me.

[ArmoBarbi]

Welcome Were you born in the US or the SU? Do you speak Russian?

Best of luck on your quest.

Its definitely a bad idea to hate an entire nation. We all have good and bad members. (Like youve never seen an Armenian or Ukraining who has made you ashamed lol)

[pink5]

I was born here.

[QUOTE=ArmoBarbi]Welcome Were you born in the US or the SU? Do you speak Russian?

My grandfather was in Cleveland before the genocide. My grandmother escaped through an amazing route and somehow a marriage was arranged between them before she even came to America.

My mom was born here (and Dad) then came us kids.

I remember my grandmother showing me pictures of skulls piled up. She told me these stories that were so sad and scary.

I tried to make friends with a couple Turkish people because I knew I was being racist not to try. The only problem came when we brought up the genocide. The two I met said it didn't happen. End of friendship.

That seems to be the stumbling block I have faced so far.

Ah, and since you brought it up, when I was a teenager I read that Armenians committed infanticide. That blew my socks off.

[ArmoBarbi]

I take it you dont speak Russian then lol

Where did you read that? Explain please

[pink5]

Infanticide

Gosh that is such a good question. Where did I read that? I think it was a book about Armenian history. It was when I was a teenager and I am gulp, a wee bit older.

I grew up being told that Armenians were sainted people. Sweet, caring, no child molesters, no rapists.. perfect.

When I read that it literally changed my world view. I might have read it in a book by Ashley Montague but if you will let me, I will go to my mom's this week and look at her Armenian books and see if I read it in one of those.

Oddly, I only found out I was Ukranian several months ago. A cousin did some research on my father's side of the family. O.k., this is weird but true. My father never told my sister and I where he was from. We found out some years ago that he was Jewish but he is anti-semitic. He changed his last name so no one would know (but duh, his first name is Sheldon).

If you bring up Judaism to him he gets really mad. So everytime we asked what country he was from he gave us a different answer. Also our aunts and uncles did too. I think in part because their mother and father were ashamed and kept it secret.

So the cousin unearthed alot of info and this is what we found out. I wish I knew more about it.

[Anonymouse]

We found out some years ago that he was Jewish but he is anti-semitic.

Irony .

[pink5]

Irony .

Isn't it strange?

[ArmoBarbi]

Irony is an understatement. lol

I have to admit, I have Jewish anti-semitic step relatives, so I know what you mean. *looks down in shame and disbelief*

[pink5]

I guess they feel shame at their religion. Like they bought into the stereotype and don't want to be associated with it.

[ArmoBarbi]

I dont think its a matter of religion alone, dear. Although its a big give away in the case of Jews! lol

I know a person (step relative) who has brown hair, blue eyes, fair skin, speaks only English, Ukrainian, and Russian, and was raised with a lie that he was Ukrainian instead of Jewish. He found out because somehow the kids in his class figured it out and started making fun of him! He came home upset and asked his family, "Im a Jew, arent I?!"

What a sad world we live in, guys....